Figures from U.S. YachtWorld brokers show boats were moving a little better in March, but at lower prices As the first quarter ends, the yacht brokerage market in the United States may be showing a small sign of improvement against 2008 unit sales. As reported to SoldBoats.com by member brokers of YachtWorld.com, sales were off…more

Sales of new boats continued to drop in the fourth quarter of 2008. The total fiberglass segment, including personal watercraft, fell 38.5 percent and aluminum sales were off 27.1 percent. The data here is based on registration information from all 50 states. Sales of fiberglass boats 14 feet and larger decreased 41.9 percent, on…more

The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index, relatively flat in January, fell sharply in February to another all-time low. The index stood at 25 – down from the January figure of 37.4. The Present Situation Index declined to 21.2 from 29.7 in January. “The decline in the Present Situation Index, driven by worsening business conditions and…more

During February, 1,325 boats worth $131,768,711 were sold in the United States. West Coast brokers — those in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington — sold 254 boats (19 percent of the total) worth $23,275,725 (18 percent of the total value). These are coastal states with deep water, which will account for the fact that…more

For the next six months, we are going to look at the number, size and value of boats sold through YachtWorld in six different regions of the U.S. and what percentage of the total sales that region represented. Let’s start by comparing Florida to the national total. In January, 1,250 boats were sold in the…more

Early numbers point to 32 percent loss for ’08; results of early winter shows provide some lift Boat registrations in December showed a continuation of the yearlong decline in sales. Total fiberglass boats, including personal watercraft, fell 28.4 percent on 2,508 units for the month. These statistics are based on data from 27 early-reporting states…more

One of the principal reasons consumer confidence is at an all-time low is fear of job loss, economists say. U.S. Department of Labor figures show unemployment surged to 7.2 percent in December — a month in which 524,000 jobs were lost. Since the start of the recession in December 2007, the number of unemployed people…more

Any way you look at 2008, it was a benchmark year, and all 2009 activities are going to be judged against it. With this in mind, here are some key 2008 YachtWorld.com numbers that will provide guidance as to how 2009 compares: • As of Dec. 31 there were 1,498 U.S. brokerages and 1,037 international…more

Sales of new boats continued to drop in the third quarter of 2008. The total fiberglass segment, including personal watercraft, fell 31.6 percent, while aluminum sales were off 25.6 percent. The information here is based on registration data from 47 states, which make up 99 percent of the U.S. boat market. The closely watched 14-foot-and-up…more